1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recording events in the vicinity of a human operator that protects the recording so as to enhance safety for the human operator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a world of security threats and strangers, it can be challenging to document situations without running grave personal risk. While recording equipment (audio recording devices, cameras or video recording devices in some combination) is often available, the recorded information is subject to destruction by the very person whose action is being recorded, such as a criminal caught while committing a crime, or an official exceeding or abusing the official's authority. Often the human operator of the recording equipment is also subject to violence or other harm by the very person whose action is being recorded.
For example, suppose that a witness sees an unauthorized person park in a handicapped space, asks that unauthorized person to move, and is refused by that unauthorized person. The witness then takes a picture of the unauthorized user's license plate, with the handicapped markings in view, using a cell phone owned by the witness.
What if the witness had seen a serious crime, such as a mugging or a case of police brutality or a bribe by a high ranking official? Would the witness have been brave enough to take a picture knowing that a nearly immediate response by the criminal would likely be to attack the witness and take or destroy the cell phone?
There is a need for a way to collect the information without subjecting the operator or the information to harm.